Relocating to Austin: A Newcomer's Guide to the City

Thallow Homes works with relocating buyers year-round — people moving for a new job, a change of pace, or family reasons, often without ever having spent much time in Austin before. If that's you, here's the honest orientation Thallow Homes gives every relocation client during a first call.

Austin is bigger and more spread out than people expect

Newcomers are often surprised by how much Austin sprawls. "Austin" as a metro area includes everything from dense, walkable Central neighborhoods to suburban communities 30-40 minutes out in Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park, and Dripping Springs. Thallow Homes always starts a relocation conversation by asking about your workplace location and commute tolerance, since that single factor narrows the map more than almost anything else.

Traffic patterns matter more than distance

A neighborhood that's technically 12 miles from downtown can take 45 minutes to reach during peak hours, particularly anything relying on I-35 or Mopac. Thallow Homes recommends actually driving a prospective commute at rush hour before committing to a neighborhood — a step that's easy to skip when you're relocating from out of state and touring homes on a compressed schedule.

Cost of living: what's actually different

For buyers coming from higher cost-of-living markets like California or New York, Austin can look deceptively affordable at first glance. A few things worth knowing:

• Texas has no state income tax, which meaningfully changes take-home pay for many relocating professionals
• Property taxes run higher than many other states — see our property tax guide for specifics
• Home prices have moderated somewhat from their 2021-2022 peak but remain well above pre-2020 levels in most central neighborhoods
• Utility costs, particularly summer cooling costs, are worth budgeting for given Central Texas heat

Which neighborhoods work for remote versus in-office employees

Thallow Homes sees a clear pattern: fully remote buyers often prioritize value and space, gravitating toward Round Rock, Georgetown, or the Hill Country, while buyers with a regular in-office commute tend to stay closer to Central Austin or North Austin near The Domain. Neither is right or wrong — it genuinely depends on your specific situation, which is why Thallow Homes asks about work arrangement early in any relocation consultation.

Buying remotely: what's actually possible

Thallow Homes has closed multiple transactions for clients who never set foot in Austin before closing day, using live video walkthroughs and digital paperwork throughout. This isn't right for every buyer or every property, but for relocating clients on a tight schedule, it's a genuinely viable path — see our Relocation Services for how this works in practice.

What to research before your first visit

If you can make even a short scouting trip before your move, Thallow Homes recommends focusing it on driving prospective commutes, visiting neighborhoods at different times of day, and touring a handful of homes across different areas rather than concentrating on one. This gives you a much clearer sense of tradeoffs than researching from afar.

A few things newcomers consistently ask about

Summers are genuinely hot — expect consistent 95-100°F days from June through August, which affects everything from landscaping choices to how much outdoor space actually gets used seasonally. Austin's tech and healthcare sectors continue to drive a lot of relocation, which Thallow Homes factors into which neighborhoods are seeing the fastest growth in amenities and new construction.

Derek Osei

Senior Agent, Buyer Services, Thallow Homes